Take a Chance

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson  Dress: eShakti.com

This gorgeous, flowery dress is from the online boutique, eShakti. Have you heard of them? I hadn’t until they approached me about a collaboration; but, I am glad to know them now!

One thing I enjoy about eShakti is that you can customize your pieces. They give you the pattern and the idea; then, you make it your own. To make the look work for you, they take your height measurements and tailor the length just where you want it.  For us tall girls, say goodbye to those dresses that always seem to be too short. Whoop, Whoop! It was fun to take an idea and make it my own. And this dress fits like a glove. It’s such a relief to receive an online order and know it has been designed to fit YOU perfectly.

Collaborating with eShakti.com was an opportunity I had to jump on. It was slightly risky, however, since I had no idea what to expect or how the end result would turn out.  But, at the end of the day, there wasn’t really any downside since regardless of what happened, I would still end up with a free dress in the end. With that said, even small risk-taking moments can feel a little daunting.

But taking chances is what life is all about. I mean, it is a scary part of life, but a part nonetheless. Where would you be today if you didn’t take a chance somewhere along the way? (See what I did there?  The rhyme?  I mean, I am a teacher after all!)  Whenever I go through the process of deciding whether to take a risk, I literally talk it out until my mouth goes numb. Thank you to my people who sit and listen so patiently while I work through the pros and cons of each decision. At some point, my mom usually tells me, “Just make your choice and be HAPPY with it.”  She can only listen to me for so long.

The thing to remember when taking chances is that no matter what you decide to do, God is going to work through it with you. And even if it turns out that it wasn’t the best decision, He will enable you to learn from it and grow into a better YOU! That’s what we all want, right? To be the best YOU that you can be.

So, what chances do you need to take today? What is that one thing tugging on your heart that will require a leap of faith? Put your trust in God, and just go for it. 

"For it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose." - Philippians 2:13

The Cold Shoulder

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson

In case you haven’t picked up on it yet, it’s all about the off-the-shoulder look these days.  Like any new trend, I had a hard time embracing it at first; but, now that I have, the more off-the-shoulder, the better. Add in the fact that this off-the-shoulder look is also a JUMPSUIT, and I’m sold. It’s my two favorite trends all wrapped into one comfy, sassy, vacation-ready look. Fab’rik for the win…again.

Last Saturday, I spent some time on the lake celebrating the birthdays of two dear friends… and by “spending some time,” I mean like the whole day. It was a blast. The sun was hot, the water felt amazing, and the laughter was plentiful. But, right now, I’m still paying the price. My shoulders are burnt to a crisp. In fact, my daily text messages with Katie have turned into a complaining session about our fried body parts. Aloe has quickly become my new best friend.

Lesson learned. The sun in Tennessee is just as powerful as the sun at the beach. 

While my shoulders do not feel too cold at the moment, I’m ready to give the “cold shoulder” to something I have been feeling for a while.  And that something is worrying about time. Yes, time. Even though I am on summer vacation and shouldn’t have a worry in the world, the clock still ticks away at me everyday. I’ve noticed that I am not really living in the moment.  Instead, I am planning and worrying about events in the future that I have ZERO control over.

While on the lake this weekend, I had no control over ANYTHING. I couldn’t drive the boat. I couldn’t decide how long we would stay on the lake. I couldn’t control the sun (obviously). It was the first day in a long time that I realized it was okay to not be in control – to not have to watch the clock. In fact, it was almost relaxing.

So, I am giving the cold shoulder to the clock. I need to do a better job of giving my “time worries” to God. Let Him decide when everything needs to get done. I am going to touch more on this topic later this week, but I just want to leave you with something I heard from Justin Davis on Sunday. He said, “Just because you are not where you think you should be doesn’t mean you are not going to get there.” AMEN.

What do you need to give the cold shoulder to? What worry can you hand over to the Big Guy upstairs? How will handing it over allow you to become a better you?

"When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I." - Psalm 51:2

Gladiators in Rompers

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson Shoes & Romper: Fab'rik

I recently teamed up with Fab’rik for a shoot and am excited to bring you many of those looks over the next couple weeks. One outfit that I immediately fell in love with was this black romper. It’s perfect for summer because you can dress it up or down – it all depends on the shoes.

Lately I’ve had this weird obsession with gladiator shoes. It’s probably because we are heading to Europe next week and are ending the trip with a two-day stop in Greece.  So, naturally, I feel like I need to wear all things Grecian – blue, white, gladiator.  Totally look the part, right? Since gladiator shoes make such a big statement, pairing them with something simple—like this romper—totally works for me. 

Of course, when I think of gladiator shoes, I think of an army. Clearly, I am on a whole “God is our shield” kick this week.  It’s almost as if He is trying to prepare my heart for an upcoming battle. He seems to constantly be reminding me that He has my back. Do you ever feel that way? Like God is trying to get across to you, but you aren’t listening close enough?

The song, “Break Every Chain,” a popular tune at our church, has been on repeat in my brain for the last several days. Whenever this song is played, I always find myself singing louder than normal (apologies to anyone sitting next to me at Cross Point – I am WELL aware that my voice isn’t the most pleasant!). Particularly, the part that takes my voice to the next level starts with, “There’s an army rising up.”  This line is repeated several times, with each time getting stronger and stronger.

There is an army rising up with you. An army of people who want to walk with you. This army will help you push through the battles of life while reminding you of the strength that comes when you allow God to lead the way. So, let me ask you, are you allowing those people to fight with you? Who is in your army? Have you stood with them during their battles? Have you reminded them that God’s in control?

No matter what you are dealing with, it’s always comforting to know that God is in your corner… Gladiator shoes and all. He’s ready. Are you?

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” – 1 John 5:4